I am Chinese. All my ancestors lived in Southern East costal part of China, which is very close to Taiwan, just across the straight.My first language is actaully a dialect, the same as Taiwanee's. When I went to elementary school, I learned Mandarin. Every year I look forward to Chinese New Year. It is the most exciting and important holiday in China. It is the time that people and family get-together. All the places are decorated with beautiful and festive things, such as Chinese red lanterns, pretty plum trees, and special red posters with writings symbolize good will and blessings. It is the only time of the year that kids have new clothes, and don't get scolded for their behavior problems. Anyone who is not working yet can receive several red envelopes with money inside from their family or friends. Red is such an important color in our culture since it symbolize good luck. We also have special type of food during Chinese New Year. In our hometown, people make delicious spring rolls filled with cabbage, carrots, port, cilantro, and dried oyster. My grandma also made tasty cake from scratch. My friends and I love to play fire crackers on the streets. It was so much fun to hear the loud "crack..." and smell the special smoke from the fire cracker.Chinese New Year lasts fifteen days from lunar calendar January 1st to January 15th, which is also the Lantern festival. As a kid, I used to walk on the street with all my little friends to show off our lanterns. It was so much fun during the Chinese New Year: new clothes, good food, nice decorations, red envelops and fun.
"How are you going to celebrate Chinese New Year tonight?" my sister called me on my cell phone.
"I am not sure," I answered.
It reminds me that it is the time of the year we always celebrate. By how to celebrate now? I am in Los Angeles and there isn't any thing exciting about Chinese New Year: no lanterns on the street, no fire crackers, and no one is even aware it is a holiday. It is so strange here compared with my hometown when people are getting ready to celebrate this big festival. The saddest part is all the people who use to get-together with me during this festival are not here: my lovely grandma, my dad, my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I feel lonely. It seems like all other red cheerful color has been faded to gray.
I started to thinking that maybe I can do something to ease my sadness during Chinese New Year. The first thing came to my mind is to visit Chinese grocery store. So I went there right afterwork Wow, I can't believe what I saw there: the chinese red lanterns, special snacks only for this festivals, the spring flowers, and packets of Chinese red envelopes for sale. I started to feel like have a Chinese New Year. Suddenly I had a notion, what if I throw a party at my 5th grade class for Chinese New Year? I can make traditional Chinese Jasmine tea, share my favorite Lunar New Year snacks such as peanut candy and fried wrapped dumpling with candies and sesame inside. IAnother notion came to my mind was to give my students some class money in the red envelop.
The next day, I went to my class with this idea.
" How about let's have a party for Chinese New Year?" I asked?
"Yes! Yes! ...." all the kids from my class got so excited, "Can we bring chips?"
"No," I said, "It's going to be my treat. You're going to get a check in the red envelop."
Denisha raised her hand, " Ms. Snyder, last year you gave us $88 in the red envelop, can you give us the same amount this year?"
"That's a good idea," I agreed.
Number eight is the lucky number in Chinese Culture, it has the same pronunciation as proseprity. That's why people love number eight in China.
I went to the Chinese grocery store afterwork and bought all the stuffs for the party. Next day, we had the party. I made the Jasmine Tea for the students. When they were enjoying the teas, I passed the dried tea leaves so they can smell the fragance.
"It smells like real jasmine flower," some of kids said.
"The tea is really good.," most of the said.
The most exciting part was when we taste peanut candies and the dumplings.
"Wow, they taste really good," Neftali said excited, "Where did you get it. Ms. Snyder?"
"China Town," I replied.
"I'm going to China Town this weekend to buy them," Neftali said.
After we tasted the Chinese New Year snacks, our bankers passed the red envelops with $88 inside. All the kids were thrilled.
"This party part was really good," Denise said.
A lot of kids agreed.
Now I don't feel as bad as missing Chinese New Year because I had a wonderful celebration with my students. It is a fabulous feeling of sharing the joy of Chinese New Year.
My Heritage
I am Chinese. All my ancestors lived in Southern East costal part of China, which is very close to Taiwan, just across the straight.
My first language is actaully a dialect, the same as Taiwanee's. When I went to elementary school, I learned Mandarin. Every year I look forward to Chinese New Year. It is the most exciting and important holiday in China. It is the time that people and family get-together. All the places are decorated with beautiful and festive things, such as Chinese red lanterns, pretty plum trees, and special red posters with writings symbolize good will and blessings. It is the only time of the year that kids have new clothes, and don't get scolded for their behavior problems. Anyone who is not working yet can receive several red envelopes with money inside from their family or friends. Red is such an important color in our culture since it symbolize good luck. We also have special type of food during Chinese New Year. In our hometown, people make delicious spring rolls filled with cabbage, carrots, port, cilantro, and dried oyster. My grandma also made tasty cake from scratch. My friends and I love to play fire crackers on the streets. It was so much fun to hear the loud "crack..." and smell the special smoke from the fire cracker.Chinese New Year lasts fifteen days from lunar calendar January 1st to January 15th, which is also the Lantern festival. As a kid, I used to walk on the street with all my little friends to show off our lanterns. It was so much fun during the Chinese New Year: new clothes, good food, nice decorations, red envelops and fun.
"How are you going to celebrate Chinese New Year tonight?" my sister called me on my cell phone.
"I am not sure," I answered.
It reminds me that it is the time of the year we always celebrate. By how to celebrate now? I am in Los Angeles and there isn't any thing exciting about Chinese New Year: no lanterns on the street, no fire crackers, and no one is even aware it is a holiday. It is so strange here compared with my hometown when people are getting ready to celebrate this big festival. The saddest part is all the people who use to get-together with me during this festival are not here: my lovely grandma, my dad, my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I feel lonely. It seems like all other red cheerful color has been faded to gray.
I started to thinking that maybe I can do something to ease my sadness during Chinese New Year. The first thing came to my mind is to visit Chinese grocery store. So I went there right afterwork Wow, I can't believe what I saw there: the chinese red lanterns, special snacks only for this festivals, the spring flowers, and packets of Chinese red envelopes for sale. I started to feel like have a Chinese New Year. Suddenly I had a notion, what if I throw a party at my 5th grade class for Chinese New Year? I can make traditional Chinese Jasmine tea, share my favorite Lunar New Year snacks such as peanut candy and fried wrapped dumpling with candies and sesame inside. IAnother notion came to my mind was to give my students some class money in the red envelop.
The next day, I went to my class with this idea.
" How about let's have a party for Chinese New Year?" I asked?
"Yes! Yes! ...." all the kids from my class got so excited, "Can we bring chips?"
"No," I said, "It's going to be my treat. You're going to get a check in the red envelop."
Denisha raised her hand, " Ms. Snyder, last year you gave us $88 in the red envelop, can you give us the same amount this year?"
"That's a good idea," I agreed.
Number eight is the lucky number in Chinese Culture, it has the same pronunciation as proseprity. That's why people love number eight in China.
I went to the Chinese grocery store afterwork and bought all the stuffs for the party. Next day, we had the party. I made the Jasmine Tea for the students. When they were enjoying the teas, I passed the dried tea leaves so they can smell the fragance.
"It smells like real jasmine flower," some of kids said.
"The tea is really good.," most of the said.
The most exciting part was when we taste peanut candies and the dumplings.
"Wow, they taste really good," Neftali said excited, "Where did you get it. Ms. Snyder?"
"China Town," I replied.
"I'm going to China Town this weekend to buy them," Neftali said.
After we tasted the Chinese New Year snacks, our bankers passed the red envelops with $88 inside. All the kids were thrilled.
"This party part was really good," Denise said.
A lot of kids agreed.
Now I don't feel as bad as missing Chinese New Year because I had a wonderful celebration with my students. It is a fabulous feeling of sharing the joy of Chinese New Year.
Binder Organizer